Troops in Honduras stormed the residence of President Manuel Zelaya and ousted him, after a power struggle over his plans for a referendum on changing the constitution so he could run for a second term.
After troops secured the palace in the capital, Tegucigalpa, President Zelaya - who took office in 2006 - was flown to Costa Rica.
The security forces fired tear gas at pro-government protesters who reportedly hurled rocks and branded soldiers "traitors".
As supporters of the deposed leftist leader took to the streets, Mr Zelaya said from Costa Rica he had been kidnapped by troops as part of a coup hatched by a "voracious" elite.
Amid pro-Zelaya protests, the Supreme Court, which had ruled the president's referendum plan illegal, said it had ordered his removal from office.
Mr Zelaya (pictured in Costa Rica) was deposed an hour before polls were to open for the referendum, which was also opposed by Congress and members of his own party.
Tensions had been rising since Mr Zelaya sacked the chief of the army, Gen Romeo Vasquez (also pictured here on Friday), last week for refusing to help him organise the vote.
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